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Elma robbery suspect caught

The Grays Harbor County Sheriffs Office arrested a man Thursday who is suspected of robbing a bank in Elma last week, officials said.

Detectives with the county located Jerry Upson at 11:30 a.m. near his parents’ residence in Shelton and took him into custody.

Officials say that Upson robbed the Anchor Bank branch in Elma on Nov. 20, then got away in a car driven by another man. Upson was booked into the Grays Harbor County Jail for first degree robbery.

Investigators contacted authorities at the Mason County Jail Wednesday in the course of following up on leads, and a correctional officer was able to identify Upson. The 32-year-old has prior robbery convictions in Thurston and Mason counties.

Investigators contacted Upson’s family and learned he owns a white Dodge Stratus, the same type of vehicle seen in a surveillance video from the bank that was used as an escape car. Upson’s family also told detectives what Upson usually wears, a dark colored baseball cap, a light colored Carhartt-type of jacket, light colored blue jeans and a dark colored pair of shoes — the same type of clothing the robber wore during the robbery.

They also learned Upson usually associates with a 26-year-old Shelton man, who is believed to have been with Upson during the robbery and is being held in the Grays Harbor County Jail for first-degree robbery. The Sheriff’s Department, Grays Harbor Drug Task Force, and the Elma Police Department are investigating the case.